Former Mississippi Official Pleads Guilty to Welfare Scheme That Funneled Money to Brett Favre, Others
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A former Mississippi state official pleaded guilty this week to fraud and conspiracy charges after investigators discovered more than $70 million in federal welfare funds were misused on personal expenses and funneled through nonprofits.
John Davis, the once head of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, and others are accused of using millions in government funding for their own “personal use and benefit,” according to a press release from the Department of Justice.
Officials further detailed the scheme in their announcement:
At Davis’s direction, MDHS provided federal funds to two nonprofit organizations and then directed the two nonprofit organizations to fraudulently award contracts to various entities and individuals for social services that were never provided. In addition, Davis caused the nonprofit organizations to disburse full or almost-full payments pursuant to those sham contracts at or near the beginning of the contract periods, regardless of whether any work had been performed and knowing that no significant services would be provided.
A bizarre twist in the case is the involvement of former NFL quarterback Brett Favre. Approximately $4 million in funds went to building a volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi, a school Favre attended and his daughter was enrolled in at the time of the funding.
Favre is now in the midst of a civil lawsuit stemming from the funding. The former athlete’s lawyer told CNN that Favre denies any wrongdoing in the matter. Text messages released as part of the lawsuit show Favre himself was being paid six figures for events that investigators found never happened.
“I was unaware that the money being dispersed was paid for out of funds not intended for that purpose, and because of that I am refunding the full amount back to Mississippi,” he announced in 2020 about the payments.
2/4 I have never received monies for obligations I didn’t meet. To reiterate Auditors White’s statement, I was unaware that the money being dispersed was paid for out of funds not intended for that purpose, and because of that I am refunding the full amount back to Mississippi.
— Brett Favre (@BrettFavre) May 7, 2020
